A credit-card-sized scrap of papyrus discovered in 1920, now Papyrus Rylands Greek 457. Its eight visible lines on each side preserve John 18:31-33 and 18:37-38 — Jesus before Pilate. Paleographers date the script to the first half of the 2nd century, possibly as early as 125 AD, making it the oldest surviving fragment of any New Testament book.
Why this matters
Pushes the manuscript copy of John back to within roughly a generation of John's composition. Rules out the once-popular theory that John was a 3rd-century composition; the gap between original and earliest copy is closed to perhaps 30 years.
Scripture references
John 18:31-33John 18:37-38
Location
John Rylands Library, Manchester